The development of geographical information systems for the 1989 kenya population census

Abstract

This thesis evaluates the potential of geographic information systems (GIS) technology for possible introduction into the analysis of the population census of Kenya. It does so from a starting point of no digital mapping being used at present, and no staff trained in the technology. The one year research programme had a number of aims which would underwrite a fuller evaluation of GIS back in Kenya; to(i) evaluate the training implications in GIS.(ii) evaluate the quality and usefulness of base maps produced by the Kenya Statistics office, with a view to automating them for subsequent digital mapping.(iii) achieve capability and understanding of concepts in the process largely referred to as "digital mapping”. The 1989 census was the first to map the country to the level of Villages which are small subdivisions of the Sub-Locations. Enumeration Areas were based on these Villages. The 1989 census field work was the most detailed of all previous censuses. About 4000 Sub-Location maps or Enumeration Area maps were prepared for the census. They were used to produce the required copies for the Enumerators and Supervisors who participated in the census enumeration. The preparation of the District maps for digitising e.g. tracing, identifying and fixing reference points; digitising and editing the coverages; transforming the coverages; and updating the coverage data files took approximately five months. Using this database a population density map was produced. The study has proved the feasibility of full computer mapping for the analysis of the 1989 Kenya population census. It provides a basis for the development of a full GIS capability. Further, the cartographic information from Kenya, while having limitations, has been combined and integrated to provide a national coverage. Census data, already in the computer form, are relatively easily integrated into the GIS database.